A local court in Ayodhya on Monday remanded all the accused in the alleged Ram Mandir donation embezzlement case to 14-day judicial custody, as the investigation into the alleged financial irregularities at the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple continues.
The case pertains to allegations of misappropriation of donations received at the Ram Temple. The Uttar Pradesh Police is investigating the matter following the registration of a First Information Report (FIR) on June 25 under multiple provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
The accused named in the FIR include Anukalp Mishra, Lavkush Mishra, Avinash Shukla, Tinnu Yadav and Manish Yadav, among others.
Meanwhile, family members of the accused arrived at the Ayodhya District Jail to meet them following the court’s order.
The investigation has intensified over the past few days, with police recording statements of key individuals connected to the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust. According to sources, the statement of the Trust’s former General Secretary Champat Rai has been recorded, while statements of other office-bearers, including former trustee Anil Mishra, may be taken if required during the course of the investigation.
Earlier, Champat Rai and Anil Mishra resigned from their respective positions in the Trust, taking what the Trust described as moral responsibility in the wake of the allegations.
In an official statement, the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust said it was “shocked, hurt and deeply saddened” by the reported incidents and reiterated its commitment to ensuring a fair investigation while reassuring devotees.
The case stems from allegations made by former Samajwadi Party MLA Pawan Pandey, who claimed that donations worth ₹7 crore to ₹7.5 crore were misappropriated. These allegations are currently under investigation and have not been established in court.
Following the allegations, the Uttar Pradesh Government constituted a three-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) on June 14, following a request from the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, to probe the alleged irregularities.
Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak has said that the police should conduct an impartial investigation and take strict action in accordance with the law. The case has also triggered political reactions in Uttar Pradesh, with both the ruling BJP and Opposition parties exchanging allegations as the SIT probe continues.
-ANI
